


shoot your shot, and other nonsense

by wordsasweapons



Series: to the stars through adversity | alina/evgenia one shots. [6]
Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Crack-ish, Eventual Relationships, F/F, Fluff and Humor, Pre-Relationship, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 18:04:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17792171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsasweapons/pseuds/wordsasweapons
Summary: alina thinks valentine's day is pointless.evgenia is determined to have her enjoy the day for once.





	shoot your shot, and other nonsense

**Author's Note:**

> hello i'm breaking my fic silence with some valentine's day fluff because why the heck not.
> 
> i hope to be back in the swing of writing soon, not that i think anyone has been missing out lmao. the end of the fake dating fic will drop soon hopefully, and the coffee shop AU i've been working on. in the mean time, enjoy this xo

**~~~**

 

Alina's never been a fan of Valentine's Day, that much she knows. She vividly remembers one February 14th when Alina had strolled into the locker room and found a red card on the bench in front of her gear. A perplexed expression dawned on her face, picking it up and waving it around and asking "Where did this come from?"

 

When one of the girls finally fessed up and said one of the boys left it for it, the most bizarre thing happened. Alina didn't even open it, she simply marched over to the waste basket and dropped it in. For the rest of the girls, that was wildly controversial. Several chastised her and said she was lucky _someone_ had a crush on her, what they wouldn't give for the same kind of attention! You know, teenage girl drama like that. Alina didn't seem to think it was a big deal, just shrugged and said Valentine's Day was meaningless and she had better things to focus on.

 

Evgenia had chalked her younger training mate's antics up to, perhaps, a front of difference because hating Valentine's Day when you're young, or single, is just the thing to do. Alina was fourteen, and fourteen year olds hate everything. She did when she was fourteen.

 

She recalls still hating things at fifteen, because fifteen year olds are angrier for, well, a lot of reasons. And I guess Alina falls under that category at fifteen, because when another February 14th rolls around, nothing's changed. Except the setting. Celebrating Valentine's Day at the Olympic games sounds like the most romantic thing she could ever imagine. Her teammate clearly didn't share that sentiment.

 

A few couples she knew were braving the frigid winter air for romantic walks. Shopping trips to find the right gifts. Cute lunches, dinners after a hard days worth of practice.

 

She remembers sitting on the bus on their way back to the Olympic village after practice, spotting a couple holding hands. The woman had a big, red teddy bear under her arm and the guy with a smile on his face that didn't make her question his sincerity (yes, she had her own negative feelings about love, she never said she was perfect) and that in turn, made her smile.

 

Looking away she had leaned into her teammate and nudged her a bit, pulling Alina's attention away from her phone.

 

"Wouldn't you want to have an Olympic Valentine?"

 

"Maybe the Olympic's can be my Valentine. It did already give me a nice piece of jewelry."

 

Alina smirked as she said it, but Evgenia hadn't entirely been unconvinced yet that she wasn't just pretending to hate it.

 

With a cocked brow, Evgenia had said, "Sounds a little superficial to me."

 

"I'm not here for romance, Zhen."

 

"I think it would be a fun bonus."

 

"Maybe you can ask out one of the EXO members for a belated date when you meet them."

 

"Don't act like you wouldn't swoon if say, Nathan Chen, gave you a Valentine."

 

Alina's response had been a snort. "Not all of us are romantically interested in our idols. My suggestion for you still stands."

 

"You wound me, Zagitova," she had muttered with an overly dramatic frown and cross of her arms.

 

Despite her friends playful jabs, it didn't sway her from an idea that had popped into her head. Letting Alina go back to her room on her own, Evgenia had wandered off to the village in search of, well, anything.

 

She wound up with a card.

 

Hilariously enough, it was Nathan Chen himself who helped her pick it out. He looked lost, she looked lost. They figured they might as well be lost together. She helped him pick out a card to give to his mother, which, even she had to admit that was the best kind of cheesy gesture and the best Valentine date anyone could pick. He fancied himself quite the comedian handing her a card with some joke from some American TV show he said was hilarious.

 

"It's a wedding card, really, but you can scratch that out and replace it with something else."

 

She had the perfect replacement already.

 

And it wasn't so much the card itself that was the highlight, it was definitely Alina's reaction after she had dropped the thing into her lap and let her open it. Biting down on her bottom lip to hold back the giggle fit threatening to escape her as Alina had read it back to her.

 

_Websters dictionary defines ~~wedding~~ the Olympics_

_As the fusing of two ~~metals~~ medals, with a hot torch_

_Well you know something? I think you ~~guys~~ are two ~~metals~~ medals_

_Gold ~~metals~~ medals_

 

_Happy Valentine's Day!_

 

 

Alina had looked confused, uttering a tiny "What is this?"

 

Evgenia managed not to laugh, but did smile. "It's my Valentine to you."

 

And it was the smile that appeared on Alina's face that was the highlight. And the quietly voiced thank you. And the realization that she actually managed to win over Alina on a day Alina seemed utterly annoyed by.

 

The whole thing ended up being incredibly prophetic, too, a little over a week later.

 

.

.

.

 

Valentine's Day, 2019, was just around the corner. And a lot has changed. A lot, _a lot_.

 

This year, there was no watching Alina throw away cards from unknown suiters, and there was no playful quarreling over romantic Olympic moments. But that wasn't a terrible thing. Even if she was in Canada now, and Alina back in Moscow. She had a good excuse this year to make sure there was some sort of upkeep in these Valentine's Day traditions.

 

It was an important competition that she was of course very focused on, but, you know. Any excuse to be back in Russia, especially early, she was going to take. To visit family, to breathe her own air. To bombard her friend who hated Valentine's Day a lot with the perfect day.

 

Evgenia was determined to give the girl a day she couldn't possibly hate.

 

"Why does it matter so much to you that Alina enjoys Valentine's Day?" Yuzuru asked, sitting on the floor of her bedroom. Not helping at all with the packing he had promised he was going to do when she had invited him over.

 

"Leave her alone, Yuzuru," Jason chastised with a chuckle.

 

"I'm just saying!" He says with raised hands. "She's right. It's a pointless day."

 

"Did you not, just yesterday, tear up over the fact that Shoma had flowers delivered to you, despite being in Japan?" Evgenia asks.

 

Yuzuru frowns, chin raising defiantly. "That's different. He's my long distance boyfriend and we don't get to spend the day together."

 

Evgenia and Jason share a look, before turning on their other friend with crossed arms and a united front. "So, you're saying it's only important for people in relationships?" Jason asks.

 

"I can't do something nice for my long distance friend I have only seen a handful of times since I moved?" Evgenia asks.

 

Yuzuru stares at them both, eyes narrowed. Waiting to see who blinks first.

 

He winds up retaliating by throwing one of Evgenia's shirts at both of them, all three erupting into shared laughter.

 

"If I'm being completely honest guys," Yuzuru starts.

 

"Uh oh," Jason immediately says in response. Evgenia snorts.

 

"Shut up," Yuzuru half laughs before continuing. "If this whole elaborate thing doesn't end in our dear Zhenya here confessing her actual undying love for Alina, what's the point."

 

She looks up at Jason the same time he looks at her. Sharing a knowing look, before she clears her throat and returns her attention to her suitcase.

 

"Don't be ridiculous, Yuzu. Alina and I are friends and we're only ever going to be friends."

 

Yuzuru mumbles some sort of uh huh, whatever before wandering out of the room in pursuit of the dinner her mother was preparing for her found family in Canada before she jets off Russia. Jason steps forward and gives her shoulder a supportive squeeze. The two of them sharing another look, this time a smile. And Jason hands over a sweater that she places carefully on top of the rest.

 

"She's going to hate this," she half laughs, half sighs.

 

"You never know," Jason counters. "She likes _you_."

 

Evgenia doesn't blush. Refuses to admit she does. But she might have to right now.

 

.

.

.

 

Jason sees her off at the airport, ever the doting older brother type as she checks each of her bags and asks more than once if she's sure she has everything before pulling her into a tight hug.

 

"You enjoy yourself, okay, and best of luck during the competition." he says as he rubs her back.

 

She smiles warmly and squeezes his waist. "I will, and thank you. I'll send you pictures."

 

When he steps out of the hug, he gives a little wink and grin. "Give Alina my best as well."

 

Her response is a playful eye roll, a shove, and then another hug. Brian and her mother get hugs from him as well, and then the three of them are off. _Home_ home just a flight away.

 

And before she has to turn her phone off, she types and sends a text.

 

**When you wake up tomorrow I'll be in Russia**

**I can't wait to see you <3**

 

.

.

.

 

Admittedly, what ended up following all of this, was a bold gesture. And she probably shouldn't take advice from Nathan ever again (even if he did help with the card a year ago, even if he was Alina's best friend and knew her about as well as she did) considering his advice was _shoot your shot_ which she later found to be some sort of internet meme.

 

Without giving her plans away, she had asked how Alina managed to be such good friends with him. Alina's response didn't surprise her, seeing as it was _my best expression of feeling is through facial expressions and memes_. They were probably the perfect match.

 

Anyway. The bold gesture.

 

She stands in the middle of her friends bedroom, after having almost been trampled to death by Alina's dog, coat off and arms spread enthusiastically as she let the other girl read the words sewn into her sweater.

 

Alina looked back at her with one perfect brow raised high, and a questioning set to her features.

 

"I love you beary much?" Is all she ends up saying.

 

"Yup," she nods.

 

"Why?"

 

And Evgenia's smile falters just a fraction.

 

"Uh, well. Since you get so many bears at competitions," she takes one look around the room, eyeing several of them, "I figured I would gift you the best bear there is."

 

Alina's lips twitch ever so slightly. "You did not..."

 

"It works, you know? Because of my name, and—"

 

"Yeah, I got it," Alina says, interrupting what was going to be rambling nonsense before she even gets started. With a full smile on her face now as she approaches her.

 

"You realize you're gonna have to wear this the whole day we're out, right?" She teases. Reaching out and gently running her hand down one arm, feeling out the softness of the fabric and giving an approving hum.

 

"I didn't really think that far ahead," Evgenia murmurs. Getting a warm chuckle out of the other girl.

 

"Of course you didn't."

 

"I'm blaming Nathan for this one."

 

"He ordered me flowers," Alina says, nodding in the direction of one of her shelves. "It's made entirely of anti Valentine's Day memes."

 

"Still hating Valentine's Day a lot, I see. Sorry I'm not as cool a friend as him."

 

"Maybe you're not as cool," Alina starts. Reaching for and giving one of her cheeks a pat. "But you're beary, _beary_ cute."

 

She attempts a disapproving frown, but fails. Miserably. "Shut up."

 

Alina flashes a bright smile, waggling her brows slightly and stepping away. Grabbing her phone and purse. "Did you get it all out of your system?"

 

"What?"

 

"Your Valentine's Day-ness."

 

"Mm," she hums thoughtfully. Avoiding another run in with Masaru by bending down to give the dog an affectionate scratch behind the ear. "We're going out, on Valentine's Day. It won't be my fault if where we go has decorations and there are couples all around us."

 

Alina scoffs, shrugging into her coat. "I don't know why I agreed to this. We could've stayed in. Watched a movie. And gone out tomorrow when all of the chocolate is on sale."

 

"Are you asking me on a stay in Valentine's Day date, Zagitova?" Evgenia asks with a smirk, walking up to her friend and giving her a playful tap on the nose.

 

Alina's face scrunches up slightly at the touch, swatting at her hand. "No, because asking someone out on Valentine's Day is lame. Or desperate. Both, perhaps."

 

She rolls her eyes lightly, smiling though as she grabs both of Alina's shoulders and ushers her towards the door. "Alright, alright, you cynical sour puss, let's just go. We have a hot date with completely platonic coffee and sandwiches."

 

.

.

.

 

 **You** : I'm not sure the bear thing went over very well

 **Jason** : Your mother and I worked so hard sewing that :(

 **Yuzuru** : This girl is harder to land than the shuttle on the moon

 **Jason** : YUZURU!

 **You** : -_-

 **Nathan** : why was I added to this

 **You** : sHoOt YoUr ShOt

 **Nathan** : lmao

 **Nathan** : to the mooOOOOOOOON

Yuzuru: HAHAHAHAHA

 **You** : I hate you all

 **Jason** : :(

 **You** : Not you, you're good <3

 

"Earth to Zhenya," Alina says, sending an elbow lightly into her side.

 

"Sorry, what?"

 

"What coffee do you want?"

 

"Oh, uh. Large caramel macchiato, please. And whatever sandwich she ordered."

 

Alina stands next to her, with a small smile on her face as the boy behind the register puts their orders in and takes Evgenia's card.

 

"You offer to treat me, and you pay more attention to your phone. That's incredibly rude."

 

"I don't know," she starts, a smirk settling at the corner of mouth. "I think that's perfectly impersonal and un-romantic. I figured you would like that."

 

They move to the end of the bar to wait for their drinks and food, Alina's only response to that a subtle chuckle before she grows quiet, and thoughtful. Speaking up again a beat later.

 

"That guy liked you."

 

Evgenia turns her head sharply to look at the other girl. "What guy?"

 

"The guy behind the register. Didn't you see the look he gave you?"

 

"What look?"

 

Alina's mouth snaps shut when another voice stops her line of thought. That guy, sliding their orders across the bar and giving a not so subtle once over in her direction. She pretends she doesn't notice, smiling crookedly as she takes her coffee and plate.

 

"That was the look," Alina says next to her, under her breath.

 

"I was looking at you, I didn't see him."

 

They both settle into chairs at a table in the back end of the cafe. Alina shakes her head slightly as she gives her an unimpressed look.

 

"What? I was!"

 

"Mhm. That's not the point!"

 

"What's the point?" She asks, folding her hands together and resting her chin on top of them. Grinning.

 

"The point is, someone was checking you out."

 

"So I heard."

 

"You aren't interested?"

 

She shakes her head, straightening and laying her napkin in her lap. Speaking earnestly. "I'm right where I want to be."

 

That classic, shy Alina smile, finally shows up. Chin lowering slightly as if she was trying to hide it, busying herself with picking up one of the halves of her sandwich. But Evgenia caught it anyway. And she figures that's a good sign in her efforts to have Alina enjoy the day.

 

"How's Canada?" Alina asks, jump starting conversation as they eat their lunch.

 

She talks about her guinea pigs, of course. Her tried and failed adventure into knitting. What it was like having to return after being back home for an extended period of time over Nationals and the holidays. How excited she was to be back with everyone there afterwards, but how much she missed home.

 

Lunch segues into an afternoon movie. They picked the worst possible romantic comedy they could, and the outing is spent in the back of the theater mostly attempting to keep their laughter muffled at just how bad it actually ended up being. Sharing popcorn and Alina pretending she was going to get cooties if she shared the same straw for the soda.

 

They linger in the back still as the credits roll, watching the people leave. Mostly all couples, naturally. Alina's humming along to whatever song is accompanying the credits, feet propped up on the back of the seat in front of her, and Evgenia feels a surge of affection she's been trying to tamp down ever since the previous trip home, and now her return.

 

"Alina?" She murmurs. The other girls head turning.

 

"Yeah?"

 

It's on the tip of her tongue, everything she's been wanting to say. Things that felt too important to say last time, when she was leaving in a few days. Things that didn't belong in a text message or a phone call. That would be too impersonal. She manages to convince herself now isn't a good time either.

 

"What do you want to do for dinner?" She winds up asking. Getting a subtle enough narrow of brown eyes, like Alina didn't quite buy that being exactly what she wanted to ask. she Smiles and shrugs nonetheless, suggesting they just do sushi and make it simple.

 

So they find themselves in the spot they used to frequent before she moved, ordering the same sushi rolls they always did and still fighting over the green tea ice cream despite agreeing they wouldn't finish a whole thing on their own.

 

On the walk back to Alina's apartment, they stay huddled together and holding hands to keep warm. Evgenia stopping their stride before they head inside the building, pulling out her phone and egging Alina on until they get just the right selfie. It wound up being Alina who took it, with her longer arms. Evgenia standing in front of her, leaning back into the other girl with Alina's chin on her shoulder.

 

Alina bounds off right after the picture is taken, cursing under her breath that her whole body was frozen, and Evgenia trails after her, sending the picture to Jason.

 

**You sent a photo**

 

_Glad you girls are having fun :)_

_Don't freeze to death xo_

 

**Too late Alina's already a popsicle...so she claims**

 

_Hot chocolate and..._

_Finish the sentence_

 

**Marshmallows?**

 

 

 

_This is why you'll be single forever_

 

**You're starting to sound like Yuzu :(**

 

_xo_

_ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR NIGHT_

 

.

.

.

 

Alina ends up getting her wish. Being indoors, and watching a movie. Evgenia is stretched out next to her after having won the battle with Masaru over who gets the honors. The dog laying over their feet at the end of the bed though in protest of the arrangement.

 

"Did you enjoy your not Valentine's Day-Valentine's Day?"

 

"Shh," Alina blurts out, reaching up from her slouched position to blindly cover Evgenia's lips with her finger. "I'm watching the movie."

 

Evgenia just chuckles, reaching for that hand before it gets away and playing with Alina's fingers before she threads theirs together. "I'm genuinely asking, Al."

 

Alina sighs, hitting pause on the movie and sitting up a bit on her side, facing her and looking at their joined hands for a moment, before her gaze meets Evgenia's with a nod.

 

"I had a good time today, yes."

 

"I win, then."

 

Alina arches a brow.

 

"I got you to enjoy Valentine's Day. A previously impossible task."

 

Alina's free hand ends up in her shoulder, shoving her away. Nearly right off the bed, which sends Masaru jumping off the bed and huffing as she walks to the other side of the room and curls back up to sleep.

 

"It's time for you to go home," Alina demands. Evgenia laughs, before checking her phone for the time, and sadly agreeing.

 

"It's almost midnight, so yeah. I got my first practice with Brian tomorrow."

 

The playfulness in Alina's eyes fades pretty quickly realizing that, too. She sits up and then stands from the bed. "I hope everything goes well tomorrow."

 

Evgenia's eyes find hers, smiling softly. "Thanks. Do you know where my coat went?"

 

Alina bites her lip as she turns away and looks around. Evgenia eventually finds it, having fallen off behind one of the many stuffed animals in the room. When she looks up, her attention is caught by a card on display atop the shelf. A very specific card. The one she had given Alina a year ago.

 

"You kept it?"

 

Alina looks in her direction, and visibly freezes. Then blushes ever so slightly.

 

"It was amusing, and it was part of the Olympic experience, so..."

 

"Look at you being sentimental," Evgenia grins.

 

Alina doesn't say anything else about that. Hand rubbing up and down one arm, before she gestures in her direction. "Do you want me to walk you out?"

 

Evgenia stares at her quietly for a moment, eventually shaking her head. "That's okay, there's no need for you to get bundled up for that."

 

The other girl nods. Smiles back at her. Evgenia finds herself gravitating towards her without thinking about it much. Silently enveloping her into a hug. Eventually feeling Alina's arms tighten around her body, nuzzling her neck.

 

"Thank you for today," Alina whispers. Making her grin, smiling lips pressing to a warm cheek as she eases back.

 

"I'll see you soon."

 

Alina doesn't verbally respond again, only nods with an easy smile. It takes a lot to pull herself away, drag herself out of that room, but eventually she does. Saying goodbye to Masaru and Iriska and quietly letting herself out so not to wake Alina's grandmother. She doesn't get much further than standing just outside the front door, though. Checking her phone for the time. A couple minutes past midnight.

 

Evgenia turns back around and knocks on the door that only closed just moments ago. It swings open, Alina looking at her, momentarily confused.

 

"When you said soon, I didn't think you meant this soon."

 

"I forgot something," she utters quickly. Alina stepping back.

 

"Oh, well go and—"

 

Evgenia quickly waves her off. "No, I didn't leave anything here. I forgot to ask you something."

 

"Okay..."

 

She was probably never going to have more courage to do this than she did right now in this moment, so she might as well just...

 

"Alina, will you go out with me?"

 

"Right now? But it's late and we—"

 

"That's not what I meant. I mean, go out with me, like on a date. As my girlfriend, not just my friend."

 

The other girl looks...stunned, to say the least. Evgenia would be worried she wasn't even breathing if it weren't for the shocked blinking and the mumbled attempts at words.

 

"Zhen..."

 

"You said you didn't like the idea of being asked out _on_  Valentine's Day. It's not Valentine's Day anymore, technically, so—"

 

"God," Alina breathes out. The sound turning into a small laugh, Evgenia just now noticing the sudden wateriness of her eyes. "You're a gigantic dork, you know that?"

 

It's Evgenia's turn to breathe out, sharply. A short laugh leaving her. "I— uh. Is that a yes?"

 

She watches Alina close the gap between them, feels warm hands settle over her cheeks and looks back at shining brown eyes.

 

"You're the _beary_ best not-Valentine, actual Valentine I could've received."

 

A full bodied laugh leaves her now, leaning into one of those hands. "I'll let you keep bullying me for the sweater thing but only because I'm too happy to care otherwise."

 

"I wouldn't have to bully you if you had just done this sooner," she teases. Evgenia looking affronted.

 

"Why didn't you ask me?"

 

"I was going to. Over the holidays. But you seemed to get all jittery each time I even tried to be close to you."

 

"Classic case of gay panic, I guess," she chuckles sheepishly, before pausing. "Wait. Over the holidays? How is that any less cliche than _Valentine's Day_?

 

"I actually like those holidays. Valentine's Day is—"

 

"Okay, save the long rant for next year."

 

"We won't get to next year, at least as a couple, if you don't hurry up and kiss me."

 

"Why do I have to do everything? I asked you out, maybe you should kiss me."

 

Alina smirks, Evgenia follows.

 

"At least some traditions stay the same. Quarreling over nonsense on February 14th."

 

"It's February 15th now, Zhen. And I'm going to kiss you."

 

And she does. Each angling their heads for that first hesitant touch. Both hearts racing faster as they finally share that first kiss, their hands tentatively touching each other. One of Alina's hands moving down from a cheek to cup the back of Evgenia's neck. Evgenia's hands carefully coming to rest at Alina's hips. The cliche movies, like the one they saw earlier, got it all wrong about what those first kisses are like.

 

They're way better. Indescribable kind of better. There was no point in trying to describe it anyway, it might make it less special. Though Evgenia didn't think anything could make this less special, not really.

 

Eventually they break apart moments later, resting their foreheads against each other. And shyly keep stealing little kisses.

 

"Coffee tomorrow, after practice?" She asks under her breath.

 

Alina smiles, lightly bumps her nose against hers.

 

"It's a date."

 

.

.

.

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> there you go. all the dumb, dorky fluff. happy valentine's day, gaydies.  
> like i said, hopefully i'll be back with more writing soon. thank you if you continue to read. xo
> 
> P.S. congrats to whoever gets the reference in the card  
> if not, well, go and watch the office for more nonsense if you need a laugh


End file.
